USE OF CULTURAL ELEMENTS AS SOURCES OF FORMS IN THE DESIGN OF CULTURAL CENTRE

(A CASE STUDY OF KATSINA)

By

Author

Presented To

Department of Environmental Design

ABSTRACT
Since the evolution of human society, existed culture; where the handing of opinions, beliefs and customs from generation was practiced as tradition. Thus, every community has its own cultural elements. However, the elements of a particular culture could be strong ones (those that can easily be identified) or weak ones. Most of such elements of culture were handed down from time immemorial. Right then existed a forum of cultural activities in every society, known as “DANDALI” in Hausa, which has now metamorphosis into the present day culture centre. The research therefore will start by identifying the general elements of culture and then narrowing it down to the elements of culture in katsina state and showing how or which can be used to source a form that will identify the culture of katsina state. However, the research started with the study of culture generally in a wide perspective because even with the rooted historical background in culture, before Nigeria attained independence in 1960, the issue of cultural consciousness, promotion, even development, was yet laced with a sort of obscurity, or negligence. This is because elements of culture were not considered and applied during the design in advanced attempt to calling people’s attention and awareness. Therefore, providing an architectural design proposal which employs the use of cultural elements as sources of forms as an attempt to providing effective instrument towards establishing harmony and awareness in a cultural centre for the people of Katsina is the major perspective. Hence the research examined, highlighted and selected the elements of culture in Katsina state that can be used to generate form thereby meeting the research aim by the application of the knowledge into designing a cultural centre, Katsina.